GARRY SHANDLING: I knew when I explained to HBO what I wanted to do, I couldn't say, it's a little bit of this show and a little bit of that show. I couldn't even do that. And I mean, they thought I was crazy.

CONAN O'BRIEN, Host, Conan: He was also extremely sensitive. He was complicated, and he had a ton of empathy for other people. And I want to make that point. That is something in the business, in comedy, that is very rare. He really did care about other people.

JEFFREY BROWN: Garry Shandling died of an apparent heart attack in Los Angeles yesterday. He was 66.

Another innovator who helped reshape his artistic landscape was Malik Taylor, better known as Phife Dawg. He and childhood friend, Jonathan, AKA Q-Tip, helped found the seminal hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, known for its socially-conscious lyrics and innovative music.

MICHAEL RAPAPORT, Director, "Beats, Rhymes and Life": For a lot of people, A Tribe Called Quest was our Beatles, our Rolling Stones, our Led Zeppelin.

JEFFREY BROWN: The group was the subject of a 2011 documentary called "Beats, Rhymes and Life" by actor and director Michael Rapaport, who spoke with us via Skype.

MICHAEL RAPAPORT: When Q-Tip and Phife were in sync, it was as good as anything. It was as good as your favorite piece of pizza, the best glass of wine.

JEFFREY BROWN: The group's 1991 album "Low End Theory" fused hip-hop and jazz, and along with "Midnight Marauders," influenced a generation of rappers and producers.

PHARRELL WILLIAMS, Musician: We wouldn't be here, man, if it wasn't like for Tribe albums. You got it.

JEFFREY BROWN: Phife Dawg died of complications with diabetes. He was 45 years old.